How Mike Oquaye’s decision in 2020 comes back to bite NPP in 2024
In a dramatic reversal of fortune, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is reeling from a development reminiscent of an episode it once celebrated in 2020. Back then, the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Oquaye, declared the Fomena seat vacant after Andrew Amoako Asiamah, the NPP’s Member of Parliament for Fomena, chose to contest the December 2020 elections as an independent candidate. The NPP had pushed for Asiamah’s removal, asserting that his decision to run independently meant he had forfeited both his party membership and parliamentary seat. Speaker Oquaye upheld the petition, citing Article 97(1)(g) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates that any MP who leaves the party on whose ticket they were elected must vacate their seat.
At the time, this ruling was seen as a tactical win for the NPP, reinforcing party discipline and demonstrating the party’s commitment to maintaining control over its parliamentary seats. President Akufo-Addo and the NPP leadership were vocal in their endorsement, emphasizing the importance of loyalty to party unity. The decision to declare the Fomena seat vacant was hailed as a constitutional triumph, underscoring the party’s strict approach to internal dissent.
Fast forward to October 2024, and the same rule that once benefited the NPP has now turned against it. Speaker Alban Bagbin has invoked Article 97(1)(g) to declare four parliamentary seats vacant after NPP MPs opted to run as independent candidates in the December 2024 elections. This decision, echoing the precedent set by Speaker Oquaye, has shaken the NPP just weeks before a crucial election.
The announcement has significantly impacted the party’s standing in Parliament. Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority Leader, asserted that the NPP, having lost these four members, no longer holds a parliamentary majority. Forson urged Speaker Bagbin to uphold the Constitution by ensuring that the defecting MPs are formally stripped of their seats.
This turn of events highlights a sharp political irony: the NPP, which once wielded this rule to its advantage, now finds itself on the receiving end. The ruling by Speaker Bagbin is a powerful reminder that constitutional justice applies equally to all parties, regardless of who holds the majority.
As the NPP faces the political fallout of losing key members to independent bids, it is forced to confront the very precedent it championed just four years ago. What was once a tool for enforcing party discipline has now become an obstacle, placing the party in a precarious position ahead of the December elections.
This sudden shift underscores a fundamental truth in politics—what goes around, comes around. The NPP must now grapple with the consequences of a principle it once celebrated, as it navigates one of its most challenging election seasons yet.
